YOU CAN AFFORD THAT

John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy.  I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly.

One of my greatest joys is watching and listening to the two men that for over 35 years I have been blessed to call my sons.  I do claim a little credit for contributing to their brilliance, but just a little, for they are so much wiser than I, at their age.  I listen, learn and walk away totally inspired after so many of our conversations; yesterday was one of those days. 

My youngest son, Phil called and as the conversation progressed through world events, politics and finally to economics, he quoted a couple of lines from a book he had read.  In the book, RICH DAD, POOR DAD, Robert Kiyosaki makes the statement that he does not allow himself to say, “I can’t afford that.”  Instead he asks himself, “How can I afford that? Or What do I have to do to afford that.”  This opens up a whole new mindset, eliminates envy, and puts the power of choice back into your hands.

We live in an ENVIOUS nation of people who have, as Robert Kiyosaki calls it, “a mindset of scarcity.”  Just listen to the nightly news for a few moments, tell a friend about your wonderful vacation or watch HGTV and check your thoughts as the couple looks for a luxurious vacation home in a tropical setting.  What are the words you usually hear?  I wish I could afford that or if I didn’t have to… or if I had…  We hear about “white privilege,” “Wall Street privilege,” “political privilege,” “inherited privilege;” insert, in front of privilege, whatever word comes to mind, when you consider the things you can’t afford.

The “Mindset of Scarcity” (R. Kiyosaki) can morph into a “Lifestyle of Scarcity” and we find ourselves sitting on the sidelines, watching with envy, the “plenty” of others, convinced that “we can never afford that.”  Once that mindset becomes ingrained in our thoughts, our actions and our lifestyle, it invades every area of our life and can actually become our WORLD VIEW. 

How many times have we looked at a brother or sister’s ministry, congregation, relationship with God, or other blessings and thought to ourselves, “I wish I had a big church; I wish my ministry would be blessed; I wish God would use me to do that; I wish I would be asked to speak at conference.”  GUILTY, GUILTY AND GUILTY!!!  What you are really saying is, “I wish I could afford that!”  You have accepted a “Mindset of Scarcity.”

 Pastor T. F. Tenney once said, “Don’t envy another man’s harvest until you have plowed his field.”  You see, EVERYTHING has a priced attached and anything you desire REALLY IS within your grasp.  The proper question is, “Am I willing to do what it takes to obtain that in my life?”  Am I willing to spend hours interceding for souls?  Am I willing to deny myself several meals and spend the time seeking God for direction?  Am I willing to leave all that I have to follow after the plan of God?  Am I willing to experience ridicule, rejection and the loss of friendships?  Am I willing to say NO to my desires and YES to God’s will? 

As Robert Kiyosaki wrote in his book, it is time to exchange the “Mindset of Scarcity for the Mindset of Abundance.”  You can be, do or have anything you desire in God if you are willing to pay the price.  Start praying a different prayer; pray a powerful prayer; ask God “How you can have what you desire from Him in your life.”  Ask God to show you “What you have to do to obtain a deeper walk, a more powerful ministry, or abundant blessing.”  THEN OBEY GOD!!!  It is the will of God that you LIVE IN ABUNDANCE but are you willing to PAY THE PRICE?

YOU CAN AFFORD THAT!!!